


A Function of Memory

by churchenbells



Category: Zeroes Series - Scott Westerfeld
Genre: gratuitous use of powers, possibly canon-breaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 09:09:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16446947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/churchenbells/pseuds/churchenbells
Summary: Nate discovers an effect of Thibault's power.





	A Function of Memory

Thibault leaned on the doorframe of Nate’s bedroom as Nate shuffled papers on his desk, his folder on Anonymous among them. From what Thibault could see, the papers weren't of any major importance, but Nate's blazing attention suggested otherwise. He hadn't laid an eye on Thibault for fifteen minutes.

Thibault cleared his throat to get Nate's attention, and succeeded. "You called me? Said it was important?"

Nate laughed good-naturedly, "Well, I guess  _important_ was a little strong, but I promise you'll love this. It'll only take a few minutes." Prior experience told Thibault that when Nate claimed he was going to love something, it meant Nate was going to love it, and Thibault would be indifferent. Experimenting with their powers was nothing more than a bunch of children fooling themselves into thinking they had any sort of control over what they were. Nate's enthusiasm blinded him to the truth, kept him from understanding himself. 

"What exactly will be taking a few minutes?" he replied neutrally. Notwithstanding his grievances, Thibault took a seat across from Nate. He could see what Nate had been reading now, and glanced over the titles of the articles:  _The Mixed Messages of Neuro-Associations_ ,  _Association: A Function of Memory_ , and  _Rats in a Cage: The Story of A POW_. Oh yes, Thibault could see where this "fun" was going. Nate either hadn't noticed his apprehension or didn't care. His grin widened.

"I've been doing some research, see. I've had theories about your power, of course." He pulled out a piece of paper from his folder and began reading off of it "Messing with object permanence, a form of anterograde amnesia, interrupting memory processing... but you know what really got me thinking? Photos." He stared at Thibault for a while after that. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, more contemplative. "Photos. Security cameras. They don't mean a thing, do they? Anything  _associated_ with you goes down a mental drain. It's got to be something about how neurons light up together."

"Yes, and?"

"And this." He handed Thibault a card with 4342 written on it. "I've already memorized this number."

Thibault sighed and handed back the card. "I can't do anything about that, Nate. I can't make other things disappear." He'd tried, for a long time. Thought that maybe if he'd brought someone else into anonymity, whatever veil covered him wouldn't be in between them anymore. Thought that another Anonymous might recognize him. 

Nate thrust the card back into his hands, curling his fingers over it so that Thibault couldn't let go. "Just try. Read it out to me while you disappear."

"Nate, we're alone, you can remember me, it's really—"

"Try!"

It wasn't like he had anything better to go home to, anyway. Would helping Nate really be worse than another evening of taking photos of sidewalk cracks? Thibault took a deep breath as he leaned back. "The numbers are four, three, four, two," he recited. Nate kept his eyes glued to the ceiling, presumably ensuring he would forget Thibault.

Anonymity was easy to slip into. Flickers of koans or sutras would run through his mind, assigning meaning to the hollow feeling in his chest. _T_ _here is no disturbance emanating from the grip of sense pleasures._ "I repeat, the numbers are four, three, four, and two."  _There is no disturbance emanating from the grip of living._ "These numbers, that I am reading, are four, three, four, two."  _There is no disturbance emanating from the grip of blindness._ "Four, three, four, two, Nate. That's what you asked me to read."  _That which is present as empty of that which is not present._ "I hope you can hear me, because the numbers are four, three, four, two." Nate's eyes began to wander, and Thibault decided that was enough. "Do you remember the numbers?"

Nate's eyes widened for only a moment before he collected himself. "Thibault. The experiment. Right. The numbers were..." The corners of his mouth pulled into a frown. "No way! That was my phone's passcode and everything! At least, I think it was." No. It wasn't possible. There was no way Thibault could make people forget things just by reading off of a card a few times! That was...

His worrisome thoughts were interrupted by Nate clapping him on the back. "I knew you could do it! Do you know what this means?" he enthused. Thibault remained mute as Nate regaled him with theories of just what this meant for their powers and what  _else_ he could erase from somebody's mind. What else could he erase? Could he erase a first kiss? Likes, dislikes, an entire personality? Could he erase a  _person?_

"Hey," Nate broke off his lecture, "Who's room is this? It's really nice."

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in like an hour and didn't edit it, so any grammar mistakes are on me :/


End file.
